Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security

The Hon. Justice Robert Hope (centre) and United States Vice President Nelson Rockefeller (right) meet at the White House on 24 September 1975
(NAA: A12386, EO/3/4 part 2 attachment)

The Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security (RCIS) initiated a comprehensive inquiry into Australia's security services, including their history, administrative structure and functions. It was established on 21 August 1974 and concluded its work in 1977.

The Hon. Mr Justice Robert Hope, of the NSW Supreme Court and a former President of the Council for Civil Liberties, was the sole Commissioner. Mr George Brownbill, of the Prime Minister's Department, was Secretary.

The RCIS created and accumulated thousands of records. After the Royal Commission concluded its work, the records were stored in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet until they were transferred to the National Archives in 2001. In 2006 the National Archives undertook detailed examination of the records to identify material suitable for release to the public after the records reached 30 years of age.

On 27 May 2008, National Archives released the records of the RCIS for public access.

Background and history

You can read a brief history of the RCIS prepared by Dr Jim Stokes from the National Archives.

A media briefing was held on the release of the RCIS records on 27 May 2008 at the National Archives in Canberra. The three speakers addressed various aspects of the history, workings and legacy of the RCIS:

The records

The RCIS created and accumulated over 2000 records. These were largely paper files and documents, but also included published reference material and audio recordings.

Justice Hope took a keen interest in the records of the RCIS. He was concerned not only that they should be managed securely and effectively, but that they should also be retained for official use and eventually, for public use by historians.

The table below lists the eight multi-volume reports (17 in total). These reports were presented to the Governor-General over the period between 1976 and 1977 by Justice Hope. The reports are held in series A8908.

Access to the records

Records available for public access

The RCIS created over 2000 records. The National Archives has released much of the material from the reports and other records created or received by the Commission. Some sensitive information has been withheld from public access. For details on the availability of records, see our guide to the RCIS records and check RecordSearch.

If a record has been withheld from public release in whole or part, RecordSearch (the National Archives online collection database) will show the exemption category under which the information is exempted or will indicate whether some information has been withheld because it is not yet in the open period. RecordSearch records the access status of records in the following ways:

Open – the record is entirely open to the public

Open with exception – the record has some information withheld from public release

Closed – the record has been withheld entirely from public release

Not yet examined – the record has not yet been examined for public release

Exempted material

The National Archives has worked to release as many of the RCIS records as possible, in consulation with relevant government departments and agencies. Given the highly sensitive information that is contained within the records, some material has been exempted from public access under the Archives Act 1983.

Material that has been withheld from public access is exempt under the following categories of the Archives Act:

33(1)(a) disclosure would damage Australia’s security, defence or international relations

33(1)(b) disclosure would breach a confidence shared by a foreign government or an international organisation with the Australian Government

33(1)(d) disclosure would be a breach of confidence

33(1)(g) disclosure would unreasonably disclose information about the personal affairs of a person

Where information has been exempted from a record, the National Archives has provided a written statement identifying the exempt information, the exemption category that applies and why it applies. The majority of the exemptions that have been claimed on RCIS records relate to:

details of the relationships between Australian and foreign intelligence agencies

technical and structural details, and operational processes of the Australian intelligence and security agencies

allocation of resources to Australian intelligence and security agencies

details of targets and operations

the names of intelligence officers and agents

some intelligence reports

Release of these details would restrict the intelligence agencies’ ability to carry out their statutory responsibilities and as a consequence the national security of Australia could be damaged.

Appealing an access decision

If a record is withheld from public access (either in whole or part) following examination, National Archives reference staff can explain why the records have been withheld and how to seek a review of the decision.

Information on the appeal process under the Archives Act can be found in:

On request, the National Archives will examine for public access any records of the RCIS for which an access decision has not been determined. For more information, read our page on how to request access examination.